BOSTON - Okay, so now what?
With this best-of-7 series shifting to Miami for the next two games, the Heat clearly has two choices at this point. Fight and get into this series.
Or fold and head into free agency.
With the way things went down in Tuesday's 106-77 loss to the Celtics at TD Garden in Game 2, I'm not sure too many folks out there would be too offended if Miami took the latter choice. But that hasn't been the Heat all season. There is a bit of pride with this team, even if it didn't show up Tuesday night.
Miami is now down 0-2 in this first-round series. It has only rallied from that type of playoff deficit one time in franchise history. And that was in the 2006 Finals to defeat the Dallas Mavericks.
But those Mavericks were fragile. These Celtics are serious. The elbow that got Kevin Garnett suspended for Game 2 had nothing on the blow Boston delivered in the second quarter Tuesday. A 21-0 spurt was the difference in this game. It was over by the half.
And now, the Heat is halfway out of this playoff series.
"In both games, there was a point of really being tested," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And in both games, we failed that mental test."
So what now?
D. WADE'S DOINGS: Dwyane Wade begged for help from his teammates between Games 1 and 2. They didn't deliver. As it has been pretty much all season against Boston, there was plenty from Wade and very little from anyone else. Wade got off to a slow start, but had 29 points on 11 of 18 shooting from the field for the second consecutive game. His supporting cast? It was a collective 18 of 58 from the field. Boston is just fine with that sort of trade-off. If things continue down this path, all this series is going to prove is just how much help Wade needs in free agency to get back into serious contention in the East. Michael Beasley let Wade down with another sub-par performance. Jermaine O'Neal has yet to show up in the playoffs. Carlos Arroyo and Mario Chalmers can't penetrate, and that's a problem when they're both point guards. Quentin Richardson's mouth was quiet Tuesday. So was his game. Something's gotta give so Wade can get some help. Or else, the Heat is gone from the postseason.
TURNING POINT: The Heat was up 29-25 with 10:10 left in the second quarter. Then, boom. Michael Finley nailed a three-pointer and opened the floodgates. Finley's trey sparked a 21-0 run that pushed the Celtics ahead 46-29. Amazingly, with all of that net-splashing, the Heat managed to remain in its drought. Four Celtics players contributed to the run that ran the Heat out of Boston.
WINNING/LOSING EDGE: The Celtics not only pounded the Heat on the boards for a 50-33 edge, Boston outscored Miami 22-10 from the free-throw line. The Heat also shot a painful 38 percent from the field. You know it's bad when Sheldon Williams, Ray Allen, Glen Davis and Michael Finley are working you over during the most critical stages of the game.
HEAD-SCRATCHER: Before the game, Wade was asked whether Garnett's absence might have opened the door for Beasley to have a breakout performance in the playoffs. Wade cut to the chase. He said that sort of door has always been open. "Mike's just gotta walk through it." It's one thing to get schooled by Garnett. It's another to allow Big Baby Davis - or the Ticket Stub, as Davis called himself Tuesday - to put up an All-Star effort against you. It's easy to pull for Beasley. I'd like to see the kid succeed, and we're not even supposed to have much of a rooting interest at all for people we cover. But reporters are human, too. And Mike is from my hometown. I know his people. And this is not a shot at Davis, who has worked his way into earning a steady NBA role in Haslem-like fashion. But you're talking about the No. 2 overall pick here struggling and getting beat up and down the court by a second-round pick in Davis, who also has outworked Haslem in this series. This was a time when Beasley really needed to step up and really didn't. He talked about the arguing and fighting that took place on the court with teammates over blown defensive assignments. O'Neal hasn't been himself in a month. As it stands now, the Heat has big men who won't stop shooting jumpers. Boston has post players who are aggressive and attacking in the post. That's gotta change for the Heat to get back into this series. And change quickly.
KEY CONTRIBUTION: Let's pass on this distinction for this game. There were no key contributions. Wade was a one-man show for the most part. Everyone else in Heat uniforms had much in common with the 18,624 fans in attendance. They were all spectators. Spoelstra called the showing an "embarrassment." Wade said the team "sucked" defensively. As playoff lows go, it doesn't get much worse than this for the Heat. The good news: Tuesday was just one loss. The Heat is down 0-2. Boston held serve. The Heat has a chance to regroup at home.
NEXT UP: Boston Celtics at Heat, 7 p.m. Friday - AmericanAirlines Arena
(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)
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